The power of gestures

Attitude is all-important. If you approach things with a positive frame of mind, there’s nearly always a useful ‘takeaway’ to be found.

An example: Yesterday I went to a ‘free’ seminar on presentation skills which was, as I suspected, mainly a selling exercise. Since I run workshops and masterclasses for a living, I’m always curious to see what others offer. And there was one gem – a short exercise to demonstrate the power of body language.

Try it and see. First, find a partner. Stand facing each other, and clasp your hands behind your back. Now think of a subject that you are really enthusiastic about – and tell your partner about it, but without using any gestures, and keeping your voice as monotonous as you can. Try to convey your passion purely through the words you use.

Not easy, is it? A succinct example of how important body language is in communication. While I don’t believe the often quoted mantra that 97% of your impact is the result of body language (what you have to say matters at least as much as how you say it) – I do believe that body language is much under-rated by almost all of us.